★★★★☆Beabadoobee’s fourth studio album ‘Pylon’ leans into and encapsulates the gravity of the emotional confusion, indecision and growth that comes from being a twentysomething. ‘Pylon’ sees Beatrice Laus mature and define her sound by unifying classic grunge, ‘90s radio rock and Midwest emo to create a powerful and invigorating record. Set to be released on September 18th by Dirty Hit and Interscope Records, the album boasts a star-studded collaborator list: Laus’ longtime inspiration Hayley Williams, Turnstile’s Brendan Yates, and Chino Moreno of Deftones, just to name a few.
‘Pylon’ opens with its title track, a song that pairs hallmark elements of Laus’ previous records with new creative and musical directions evident throughout. Laus’ signature confessional lyricism returns right from the first lyrics: “I’d rather be nowhere with you than somewhere without you”. ‘Pylon’ also simultaneously introduces the feedback distortion on many of the songs on the album, an addition that mirrors the humming and crackling of powerlines.
‘Sun Has Set’ shows a side to Beabadoobee often previously hidden - an angry and aggrieved side. The lyrics for ‘Sun Has Set’ don’t hold back on showing this, especially in the catchy chorus: “When I say we’ll never be friends / I mean we’ll never pretend / F*ck that, you can never run back to me now”.
‘Switchblade’ is arguably the biggest musical redirection that Laus has taken on the record; she cleaves to inspirations from grunge and ‘90s radio rock to create a track reminiscent of Nirvana. The heavy added guitar distortion and siren effects encapsulate and further the tumultuous and anxious feelings that Laus reflects on through her lyricism: “Growing up just means to fuck everything up again”.
In ‘Write Me A Letter’ Laus ventures back into the complexity of things unsaid, a confession of matters hidden due to embarrassment mixed with hesitation to take responsibility for situational faults. Production work from Matty Healy and George Daniel of The 1975 on the indie-pop meets punk-pop track allows Laus’ vocals and production elements to shine seamlessly: “I know you know me more than I know myself”.
Arguably one of the most eagerly awaited tracks on the album, ‘Nothing To Prove’ sees Beabadoobee collaborate with her longtime inspiration Hayley Williams for an infectious, feel-good track. ‘Nothing To Prove’ feels like a celebration of the release of the built-up emotions experienced in the prior songs on the album: “Cause I’ve got nothing to prove / To you”. Williams’ backing vocals create a sense of nostalgia and friendship; she almost takes on the voice of Laus’ newfound freedom.
Laus unites with Turnstile’s Brendan Yates in ‘Powerlines’, a track chronicling longing that emulates ‘90s rock: “Crystal clear for us to see / Living in a fantasy / For my pain you’re ecstasy”. While on tour, Laus found comfort in the concept of being connected to family and friends through the universality of electricity towers, an idea that she amplifies and brings to the forefront of the track: “Powerlines help me feel I’m close to you”.
‘Spark’ signifies a shift in the album that veers the subject matter towards longing for her partner and her home. Co-written with Pinegrove’s Evan Stephens Hall, ‘Spark’ is incredibly vulnerable, introspective, and understated: “Cause I’m sick of the obnoxious dark / It’s nothing much but it’s a start”.
‘Despite That’ segues from ‘Spark’ seamlessly, further addressing the same themes of absence and longing. It also continues the lineage of Laus’ indie-folk tracks redolent of her longtime inspiration Elliott Smith.
‘Satellite’ is a powerful end to ‘Pylon’; a track that gradually builds and crashes like waves, combining both intimacy and separation. There’s a certain quality about ‘Satellite’ that can only be described as bittersweet: “Stolen moments on the telephone / Hold my breath until the dial tone / Ring ring ring to bring you back to me”.
Laus manages to encapsulate all of the confusing, contradictory, and oftentimes uncomfortable feelings arising from growth and maturity into one record. ‘Pylon’ demonstrates Beabadoobee’s musical range and flaunts her artistic evolution inspired by the music around her, but the album speaks more to her personal growth since her previous album - Laus has realised that womanhood isn’t a linear path to euphoria and that there is beauty in uncertainty. ‘Pylon’ is available to presave now ahead of its release on September 18th.
Beth Hibbard
@bethhibbardd
Image: ‘Pylon’ Official Album Cover
If you enjoyed reading this article, please consider buying us a coffee. The money from this pot goes towards the ever-increasing yearly costs of running and hosting the site, and our "Writer Of The Month" cash prize. 